Remember to Live
by DecemberWildfire
Summary: Backstory on the former romance between Venus and Kunzite during the Silver Millennium. When Metalia enters the world, it all comes down to a decision for the Shitennou that would determine their ultimate fate – making the choice between good and evil.
1. A Day in the Life

A/N: Just gonna preface this: I always write my stories with spiritual/Christian themes, and so this one will be no exception. But I've decided to try something new and use Biblical symbolism and references this time, instead of being as straightforward with it all as I have been in the past. *Crosses fingers that it comes out well*

I've brought the world of Avalar (meaning just the three home worlds) into this just for fun. Avalar is where the second Spyro game (Ripto's Rage) takes place. I've been wanting to write a story in that setting for a while so I figured this could be the one. It's just the home worlds though; nothing else from the game.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, Spyro, Flyleaf, or anything else referenced in this story.

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><p><em>Please! It's not too late to turn back. You don't have to go like this. <em>

_Can you hear me? Hello? HELLO?!_

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**Autumn Plains**

Multi-colored leaves were always gently falling from the massive trees, though they somehow always managed to remain covered and never ran bare. The softest breezes blew throughout the land but never too much, at least at ground level. The palace stretched farther than the eye could see, and the thick, tall white walls and gold-crested ramparts encircled the entire region, keeping the inhabitants safe. The whole place had the most serene atmosphere.

"Good afternoon, Venus," a voice said from behind. "I take it you're searching for Serenity?"

"You know my routine far too well, Prince. I thought she'd be with you?"

"She's still out by the pool. I figured you'd be here by now to take her back."

It had been three months since this all began. Three months of consistent travel to the Earth and back. Prince Endymion was a sincere, trustworthy man with no malice. And he and Princess Serenity had fallen in love. That is why Queen Serenity allowed contact between the people of Earth and the moon, despite the fact that she had previously forbidden it.

"Princess!" Venus called out as they approached the swimming pool in the small plateau outside the castle. "It's getting late! We need to leave now."

"My apologies, Venus. I had not noticed the time," replied the enchanting blonde.

"Sorry to leave in such haste, Prince, but our Queen expects us back to assist in organizing her annual royal ball. I hope it is not too big of a favor to ask to steal Serenity away for a couple days?"

"Not at all, Venus. Travel safely."

With that, the two blonde companions made their way to the portal that would send them back to the moon. As they approached the steps, Venus stopped.

"Princess, why don't you go ahead of me and wait by the portal? I… forgot something. I'll meet you there."

Venus ran back the other direction. Running past the pool they just came from, she went up a small spiral ramp and ended up under a domed gazebo at the top. There, she found who she was looking for, gazing out at the sky.

"Hello, General."

The silver-haired man turned around to face her. His eyes were pale but sweet all the same. He smiled at her as the gentle breeze slowly shook his hair. He was Kunzite, Prince Endymion's head general.

"Venus," he said as he took a graceful bow. He slowly walked towards her, gently kissing her on the hand.

"I wanted to thank you for your tour of the palace the other day…" she said with a blush.

"It was my pleasure, milady. I very much enjoyed your company."

She smiled and looked out to the sunset. The remainder of the sunlight shone on her hair, making it beam radiant gold. Her eyes shimmered and her face lit up the place even more than the sunset did. He fell into a trance as he gazed at her in all her beauty, when she quickly snapped out of her own.

"Oh! I really must be going now. We are late for our meeting with the Queen…"

"You'd best be getting back, then," he said. "But I am glad you came by."

With a smile and a nod, Venus rushed back to meet Serenity.

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"There you are. What took so long?"

"Sorry Princess, that was my fault. I will take the blame for our tardiness upon returning."

"You were with Kunzite again, weren't you?" she grinned.

Venus said nothing.

"You have a thing for Kunzite!"

"I do _not_ have a thing for Kunzite. I simply wanted to thank him for his hospitality, as I had forgotten to the last time."

"Venus, you are my dear friend. You can tell me anything. I have seen the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you. That man's eyes are pale and stern when looking at anyone else, but when he sees _you_…"

"Princess, do you know what one of my favorite things about our relationship is?" she cut her off. "You have always respected boundaries with me when I wish not to discuss things."

Serenity laughed and dropped the subject for the time being. They stepped onto the portal on the ground and it spun them around until they vanished, teleporting back to the moon.

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They were always a bit dizzy upon arrival due to all the spinning, and this time they were immediately greeted by the frustrated Princess of Mars.

"You're late! Where have you been?! Queen Serenity told you both to be back an HOUR ago! You know, just because you have the freedom to run around on Earth doesn't give you the right to neglect your responsibilities…"

"I'm sorry Mars, it was my fault. I lost track of time," Venus replied, still feeling a bit lightheaded.

"Well, in any case, the Queen is waiting for us in the ballroom. Let's get going."


	2. Guard Your Heart

There were three days until the Queen's royal ball. Queen Serenity – the spitting image of love, mercy and truth; the Senshi served a great and worthy master. They had all been hard at work getting everything ready. The ballroom looked gorgeous; decorated with flowers, candles and lights, and a massive, beautiful chandelier hung in the center.

Princess Serenity entered the room. "Good morning, Venus. I am leaving now to see Endymion. Would you like to come with me?"

"Thank you for the offer, Princess, but I think I will stay here and finish setting up."

"Finish setting up what? We finished last night."

"Yes, but… I figured we could use some more roses in the mix, especially on the south side of the room. That side feels a bit empty."

"Well, um… all right. If that is what you wish to do."

"It is. Tell the prince hello for me."

"Will do."

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The Senshi had to patrol the Moon Kingdom daily, each taking their own shifts. There was never any kind of danger or threat, but the queen still required it to be on the safe side. While Venus was on her shift that afternoon, she regretted not going with Serenity to Earth. She would have loved to see Kunzite.

_But why am I so afraid? Why couldn't I even tell Serenity about him…? _

The truth was that she _was_ afraid. Afraid of being heartbroken like she had been in the past. Though, there was something different about Kunzite. Something just felt… _right_. But that only worried her more. He seemed to be this great, amazing man with a beautiful heart, but what if he turned out to not be that way beneath the surface? She did not want to lose the image of him that she currently had.

But all the same, she couldn't seem to stay away. Seeing him, even for a moment, brightened her day beyond words.

"Good afternoon, Venus," her fellow blue-haired Guardian said as she walked by, snapping her out of her trance.

"Oh? Hello Mercury."

"Are you feeling all right? I couldn't help but notice your blush," she smiled sweetly.

Rationalizing everything within a matter of seconds, she figured that she might as well tell someone. Mercury seemed to be a trustworthy person for that, as she was the quiet one of the group and would likely not go and repeat anything.

"Actually Mercury, can I tell you something, just between the two of us?"

"Of course. Is everything OK?"

"Yes, no need to worry. I was just… thinking about Kunzite."

"Endymion's head general?"

"Yes, he's the one. I have to be honest… I truly believe that I'm falling for him… but I feel that I shouldn't. Surely you remember what happened in the past…"

"Hun, you should not let the past control you like this. Another man's crimes against you should not prevent you from giving someone else a chance. Kunzite is a good man."

"I know he is. I guess I just worry that he won't be who he appears to be once I become vulnerable. Or, what if I lose him? I don't know… what if he… changes?"

"You are reminding me of some things that I've been reading. 'Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.' **[1] ** 'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.' **[2]** I would advise you to give it a chance with Kunzite, but ONLY if you truly feel that it is right. And, 'above all, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.'" **[3]**

"You really think I should go for it?"

"I do. And I am always here if you need to talk."

"Thank you, Mercury."

Venus ended her patrol and went back in the castle.

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The surveillance room was located at the top of the castle, only open to the Queen and the Guardians who knew the passcode. It was in that room where they could keep watch over the Earth to ensure its safety and protection. If chaos were to break out, the Guardians would travel there and help Prince Endymion and his warriors fight for peace. That was the agreement between Queen Serenity and Endymion. However, nothing like that had ever happened before. They would only occasionally check the surveillance for the same reasons that they patrolled the Moon Kingdom – just to be safe.

However, that day Venus wanted to check in for other reasons. She watched Autumn Plains in all of its magnificent beauty. The trees swayed with the soft wind like they always did, and sheep and frogs roamed freely through the plateau. Then she saw Kunzite, sitting on the edge of one of the high walls and looking out at the sky like he always did. He truly looked like the warrior that he was. She felt her heart pounding faster.

_He could be the one_.

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Serenity returned to the moon after being away all day. She met Venus in the portal chamber and told her all about her day with her beloved. How they took a long walk on top of the high castle walls, how they strolled through the gardens for hours, how amazing he was…

"I want you to come to Earth with me tomorrow, because I have an idea," the bubbly princess said.

"What kind of idea?"

"I think we should ask Endymion and the Shitennou to come to the ball. It would be fun, and they've never been to the moon before…"

This shook her heart a bit. "Well, have you asked the Queen?"

"I will tonight, but I don't think she will object to it. She really likes them all."

Venus thought about it. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea. _Maybe it could be an opportunity._

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It had been a hectic day. Venus was put in charge of getting all of the last-minute details in order for the ball. It was much more work than she ever would've imagined, and Mars had been on her case the whole time.

_"What are you doing now?! I told you, put SIX chairs per table, not seven. Are you TRYING to make it clustered and tight? And what's with the cables over by the food table? There's always that one clumsy guest who will trip, break a bone, and we have to get them medical attention and the party's over. Oh, now what's this over here? Why did you mess with the bouquets? Too many roses, Venus…"_

It was a breezy evening in Autumn Plains as she sat by the pool, contemplating what she would say and still feeling frustrated from the day's events.

"Rough day?" a voice said from behind.

"Yes, very much so," she said with a sigh. Kunzite walked up and sat next to her.

"Would you like to talk?"

"It's just all of the last minute planning for this ball. Serenity hasn't been of much help since she's always here, and being in charge comes with so much pressure. Everything that could possibly go wrong at the ball will be my fault. Someone could trip over a chair or a cable and get hurt, or they could spill wine on their fancy attire because there wasn't enough space at the tables. And my fellow Guardian Mars increases the stress by a tenfold."

"You are worrying too much. Everything will be fine. It is a well-known fact even on Earth that Queen Serenity's festivities are always phenomenal."

She looked at him and smiled. "I have a question for you. Would you and your men like to come to the ball?"

He looked a little surprised for a moment. Those kinds of things weren't really his forte, but if it meant spending more time with her…

"Kunzite!" a voice called. Endymion and Serenity walked over to them, along with the three other Shitennou: Zoisite, Nephrite and Jadeite. "We have been invited to Queen Serenity's ball tomorrow night. Are you able to come?"

He stood up to face his Prince and nodded. "I will be there."

Serenity beamed with excitement. "Wonderful! I will see you all tomorrow night, then."

"Until tomorrow, Princess," Kunzite said with a bow.

She went to the portal and the noblemen returned to their routines, when Kunzite gently pulled Venus aside.

"It will be an honor to see your palace on the moon. But first, if you would like, I want to show you my home palace. I did promise you that I would someday, after all."

The Guardian blushed a deep red. "I would love to."

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**Winter Tundra**

They arrived at a frosty forest on top of a mountain in the Middle East. Kunzite's palace. It was winter time and bitterly cold, but so beautiful all the same. Despite the snow and ice, there was still green grass on the ground and a running river and waterfall that had not frozen over. They entered through the doors that led to the castle, which was completely surrounded by brick walls. At the top of the stairs was the entrance to main chamber, and that whole area was lit up beautifully like a Christmas night.

"Are you cold?" he asked. He took off his cape and put it around her shoulders. She turned pink in the face as they locked eyes, both smiling sweetly. They went up the stairs, stood at the top and looked over the tundra. Snow started to gently fall, while the lights up there kept shining and the burning torches kept them warm. It felt magical.

Venus turned to him and said, "This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen."

He looked at her with that deep love in his eyes that only she could draw out. He gently held her face, lifting it towards his, leaned in slowly, and kissed her with more passion than she had ever known.

And the magic intensified.

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><p>AN: **1.** Proverbs 17:9. **2.** 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. **3.** Proverbs 4:23.


	3. Set Apart This Dream

**Summer Forest**

The Moon Kingdom was a beautiful masterpiece, though in a different way from Earth's kingdoms. The massive white palace lay on a platform of land surrounded by clear, serene ponds. A long, white walkway led to the front entrance. Back behind the palace was a small, forest-like niche of land, also surrounded by water. Plain green trees covered the land and there were several small ponds and running streams, though they did not produce the kinds of sounds as the ones on Earth. There were a few gardens surrounding the castle, as well as marble statues and tall pillars. There in the largest pond was an underwater entrance to part of the castle with a few chambers that were off-limits to all but Queen Serenity.

Night fell and the palace was lit up like a tree. Guests started arriving and making their way to the ballroom. Venus was constantly running around, making sure everything was in order and that the guests were happy. Jupiter's home cooked, gourmet food was definitely keeping them satisfied.

Endymion, Nephrite, Jadeite and Zoisite all arrived together, and the Queen and Princess went up to formally welcome them. Serenity immediately took her prince to the dance floor for some classy, slow-paced ballroom dancing. The Queen returned to her throne and the others went on to explore the massive room. Nephrite went directly to the food table and instantly fell in love with all that was there. Jupiter came out with a plate of tarts and he realized she was the chef. The saying, "The best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" was especially true for Nephrite.

"THIS," he managed to say through his mouthful of cherry tart, "is the most incredible thing I've ever tasted! You are an angel, woman."

Jupiter laughed and had the faintest blush. "Thank you. I'm glad you liked them."

"If you get a chance to escape from the kitchen for a few minutes, would you kindly give me the honor of escorting you to the dance floor?"

She gladly accepted.

Zoisite noticed Mercury standing shyly in a corner, staying out of the way. He boldly went up and interrupted her people watching session.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing over here in the corner? Why not come out and join the fun?"

"Oh, I'm not much of the socializing type," she said, looking away and beginning to turn red-faced.

"What've you got there?" he noticed the book in her hand. "Ah. _Weight of Glory_. I admire C.S. Lewis' work."

"You do? He is one of my favorite writers."

"That makes two of us, lovely lady. How about I help you out of this corner? Would you like to dance?"

She happily took his hand and went out to join in the slow dance.

Jadeite ended up getting into a debate with Mars about temple traditions, and whether prayer or making offerings was the more honorable function. Though on the outside they appeared to be angry and resentful towards each other, they were both very much enjoying it. They appreciated a good argument now and then and respected how the other could put up a fight. A new song started playing and the Queen encouraged more people to go up to the dance floor. Mars wanted to take that as a cue to leave; she hated dancing with random people.

"No way," Jadeite said, annoyed. "Dance parties like this are always the same. We go up there and waltz around like fools, and I'm usually stuck with some random woman who is a terrible follow and a waste of my time. Then the song ends and I'm obligated to either continue dancing or sit down and talk with her. Honestly, I'm not sure which is worse."

** [1]** "You are full of hate and loathing, and I must tell you, I _love_ it," Mars said, both of them now smiling.

"It's nice to have someone to share this hate with," he said.

"The pleasure's all mine."

He sat and watched for a moment. "You know, this song isn't _terrible_… I mean, if you want, we could…"

"Lead the way, sir."

The three Senshi and their Shitennou, along with Serenity and Endymion, danced the night away along with the others. It was the most wonderful ball of their lives.

Once the arrival madness settled down and everyone seemed to be content, Venus could finally sit down and take a breather. She saw Endymion and his men scattered on the dance floor… all but one.

_Where in the world is Kunzite?_

She wandered around the room endlessly, but he was nowhere to be found. He said that he would be there, but it appeared he changed his mind. Discouraged and feeling a bit heavy-hearted, she exited the castle and went out back.

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Dressed in her elegant orange gown, she sat alone on the stone-paved ledge by the pond. _He said he'd come. And yet he's the only one who didn't. This is why I didn't want to pursue him in the first place…_

Frustrated, she stood up and chucked a rock into the water. That's when she suddenly felt a presence behind her.

"I couldn't find you inside. I was told that you might be out here."

There Kunzite stood, looking as dashing as ever. And for whatever reason, Venus became lost for words in that moment.

"I am sorry for being late. You… you look lovely tonight, milady." He bowed gracefully as he always did.

"Why thank you, General," she said as she curtseyed and tried to hide her blush.

He moved in closer. "I was late because making this took longer than I anticipated," he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny object.

It was a gorgeous, golden chain necklace, made from scratch. The pendant was made with a shiny kunzite stone, with the words "Goddess of Love" inscribed on the back. _He must've stayed up all night making it_, she thought. He gently put it around her neck, and it shone the same way that her love chain attack would. She was still lost for words.

"Kunzite… I…"

He moved in and tenderly kissed her. She gladly obliged.

They glowed radiantly in gold and silver in the moonlight.

Looking at his loving, pale eyes and smiling, no longer feeling nervous or fearful, she asked, "General, would you like a tour of the palace?"

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They walked through the forest, alongside a flowing stream. Eventually they made it back into the castle, but continued touring instead of returning to the party.

"I hear you and your men are known as the Kings of Heaven? What does that mean?"

"My men and I are all rulers of our respective corners of the world. Similarly to my home palace in the Middle East, the other three have their own palaces in which they reign, and all of our kingdoms are at the top of massive mountains. Many people marveled at how high our mountains outstretched towards the sky, as if our palaces were touching Heaven. And that's where the name comes from. It is nothing more than a name."

"The first time I saw you, I thought you must have just come down from Heaven. And I still believe it. You have the most warm, beautiful heart like no man I've ever known. It's more than a name to me."

"You think too highly of me, Venus. I am just a regular human being with a mission to protect my Prince."

She stopped walking and put her arms around him. "Well, regular human being, you're a phenomenon to me." This time it was she who moved in to kiss him. Repeatedly.

They happened to be standing right in front of her bedroom. And so they entered, still kissing incessantly. She began to unbutton his uniform, when something replayed in her head, too loudly and boldly to ignore.

_"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."_

It was far too soon. It wasn't right.

"Kunzite," she exhaled and pulled away. "I'm sorry. I can't do this. Not now."

He looked down for a moment and sighed. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Well, I… didn't really plan to…"

"No. Why did you ask me to come to the moon? I thought it was because you perhaps…"

Interrupting him, she leaned in and kissed him again. "I love you, Kunzite. You're the only man I've ever known who was worth becoming vulnerable for. But a good friend of mine recently told me, "_Love is patient_." I don't want to ruin what we have by rushing it. You're too important to me."

She went in for an embrace and he held her tightly in his arms for a few moments.

"I love you, Venus."

The night was drawing to a close and most of the guests had left. He joined his men and returned to Earth. After Venus had given him a special gift, that is.

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The next morning, Queen Serenity found Venus sitting alone on the railing of one of the balconies. When Venus saw her, she immediately got up and bowed.

"Good morning, Your Highness. Forgive me for being rather absent from the ball last night. I hope all went well."

"It did go well, thanks to you. I wanted to thank you for all of your hard work."

"It was my pleasure, my Queen."

"You went off with Kunzite last night?"

She was stunned at that question. She didn't realize anyone had known about that. But leave it to Queen Serenity to be on top of things.

"Venus," she continued. "I think it's wonderful that you have found a good man. I want you to be happy and it seems that he makes you that way. But I have to warn you…"

"Warn me? Is there something wrong?"

"Please be careful. I know the desires of your heart and I long for nothing more than for you and the other four to be happy and to experience the love, beauty and joy that you are longing for. But remember not to make an idol out of this man. I must tell you, Venus, I worry for the future – that something painful will happen, to all of us. I'm not sure what it is, but something tells me that if we're not careful, well… as I said, I'm not sure. But I understand the power of love and so I just want to advise you: set apart this dream. Set apart this dream for me."

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><p>AN: **1. **Paraphrasing a part of a Gilmore Girls episode. Lol.

I'm not used to writing about romance and intimacy like this, so please help me improve by leaving a **constructive** review. Just telling me that you hated it is not at all helpful unless you tell me why.

Halfway done. Working on the remaining chapters as we speak.


	4. The Forbidden Room

The Senshi teleported to Earth for their long-awaited visit. It had been over a week since any of them had seen their significant others due to more busy schedules given by the Queen.

It seemed oddly quiet and empty. Serenity went to meet Endymion in his usual spot in the gardens, and the others went and played scavenger hunt in search of their loved ones.

Venus went up into the castle and browsed around the colossal building. She found sections and chambers of it that she had never even seen. There was a long, thin bridge that extended to a lone enclosed room on top of a hill, but it turned out to be empty. Finally reaching the end of the palace, she noticed a giant hole had been smashed into the wall. Inside, there was a walkway and a thin staircase leading up to God knows what. She went in.

Climbing up the stairs and stepping onto the next floor leading to the open outdoors, she came out and found a huge lawn on top of the flat roof that she now stood on. It was much windier up there; so much that it was piercingly loud whenever it picked up. And finally, standing there at the edge of the roof, was her silver-haired lover.

She slowly began walking his way. "…Kunzite? Is… is everything all right?"

He turned his head to look at her for no more than a couple of seconds, and then looked back at the sky. Something was different. The way he looked at her was cold and stern. The usual softness and love in his eyes were gone.

Continuing to get closer, she finally reached an arm out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kunzite."

Immediately he smacked her hand away and started walking back to the stairwell. She followed, but he turned back and, with a stern voice and a glare, said, "Stay away from me."

He walked away and back down into the castle, leaving Venus there stunned.

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Back on the moon, Venus sat on the steps by the palace's entrance alone when the other Senshi came to meet her.

"Can we talk?" Jupiter asked, while all of them sat down in front of her. "All of the Shitennou were acting so strangely today. They wouldn't even look us in the eyes, and Jadeite even took a swing at Mars."

Mars just looked away, angrily. It was obvious that she was hurting badly inside, though she'd never show it.

Venus tightened her grip around her knees, bringing them closer to her chest and leaning her head down. "Kunzite was the same way. I don't know what's gotten into him…"

"I think it's the whole Earth, Venus," Mercury said, with her little computer in hand. "They say that some kind of evil force has been sensed there, but I'm not sure what that means. All it says it that many people have been acting strangely and even aggressively."

"I'm not sure what we can do as of right now," Mars said, standing up. "But we need to always be on guard and keep our eyes open." She left them and went inside.

Venus remained out there for hours, silent and lost in her thoughts.

_"Above all, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."_

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Endymion traveled to the moon to meet with Queen Serenity, telling her about the negative vibes on Earth and the things that have happened because of that.

What he didn't know was that Kunzite followed closely behind, secretly traveling to the moon while the Queen was distracted by the Prince and the others were nowhere to be seen. He was following orders… but not ones from Endymion.

_You are the strongest of the Heavenly Kings. Therefore I am choosing you for this mission. Go to the moon, and in the forest behind the palace, jump into the pond and swim through the tunnel that leads to the secret chamber. Then go and find the forbidden room. That is where the Legendary Silver Crystal is located. Snatch it and bring it back to me._

He did as he was told. Swimming as quickly as possible through the underwater tunnel, he surfaced to a sort of dungeon-like part of the castle. Going up the steps, he pressed the button that opened the wooden door and came into another small forest. Climbing more steps on the left side and going through another door, he came into a section of the castle that almost looked abandoned. Only Queen Serenity was permitted to enter this area, unless she gave permission to the Guardians.

There was a large, open window that overlooked a small garden. A couple large trees stretched towards the sky, and sheep and garden snakes roamed the little grassy plain. To the left of the window was another large wooden door, but when Kunzite hit the button, another one behind it closed, and there was no switch to open that one. On the wall there were three tablets. The one on the left said "Memento Mori." The one on the right said "Memento Vivere." Underneath those words on both of them was some kind of ancient writing in an unfamiliar language. The one in the middle boldly said, "Forbidden Room: Only Queen Serenity may pass through this point. If what lies behind this door falls into the wrong hands, that person may die."

This was it. Kunzite was contemplating, being unsure of just how powerful the Legendary Silver Crystal was supposed to be. Just then, the evil spirit he was taking orders from entered one of the garden snakes, and it crawled up through the window and faced him.

"Do it, Kunzite. Go in and take that crystal!"

Facing the slithering serpent, he replied, "Your majesty, the tablet says one could die from possessing the crystal. Am I no more than a potential sacrifice?"

"You surely won't die! Queen Serenity only wrote that because she knows that people will want to take it and obtain power. She's just trying to scare you. If you get it for me, as I promised you, I will make you more powerful than you could ever have imagined."

He sighed and looked at the door. The brightness from the crystal was seeping through and he knew it had to be the most powerful gem in the universe. He desired that power.

"How am I to get past the door?"

"Break it down! Surely your sword is strong enough to cut through if you hit it hard enough."

He drew his sword and held it up. Ready to burst through, he was caught by something – something restraining him from moving further.

"Step away from the door."

He put his sword back and Venus released her chain. She slowly moved closer to him.

"I know why you're doing this. She's deceiving you, isn't she? Please Kunzite, this isn't you. You're better than this."

Kunzite angrily stormed towards her, grabbed her by the neck, and held her over the open window.

"I swear, if you EVER get in my way again, I will END YOU."

He released her by throwing her to the ground and exited the hall. Venus managed to push through the paralyzing shock and went after him, though he was already far ahead.

"PLEASE. It's not too late to turn back. You don't have to go like this."

It was dead silent out there but he was out of sight.

"Kunzite! Can you hear me? Hello? HELLO?!"

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><p>AN: I really tried using symbolism in this chapter. The serpent enticing Kunzite and the free decision he makes is supposed to represent the story of Adam and Eve; how Satan enticed Eve to sin in the form of a snake. Please let me know how I did with that; I am really not used to writing symbolically like this so it's all pretty new to me.


	5. The Backstory

**Beryl**

She was a beautiful, 25-year-old woman who was generally more on the shy side. She could be very outspoken when she wanted to be, but that was usually only around the people she knew well. For the most part, Beryl was a quiet and reserved person, who typically just watched people from the sidelines. The person she watched from afar most often was Prince Endymion.

All the same, Beryl was a classy and dignified woman. She would not go over the line and stalk the Prince or anything of the sort. But as a resident of Autumn Plains, she would see him often. And she admired him. His ravishing black hair, that handsome face, the way he carried himself as a noble warrior, as the light wind would blow through his hair and cape… and of course, his charming personality; the way he would treat every single person with the utmost respect and kindness. He may have been a royal warrior, sworn to protect his kingdom at all costs, but he was also a very sweet and sincere man. Not an ounce of hostility in him.

For ages she tried her hardest to work up the nerve to talk to him. To just make her existence known to him… that was all she had to do, at least to start. One day she finally felt brave enough to do just that. But on that day, she saw him with an unfamiliar blonde. Long, gorgeous hair, big blue eyes, and an elegant white dress. The Princess of the moon. And oh, the love in the prince's eyes when he looked at her… it was the strongest love she'd ever seen in a person's eyes. Beryl was crushed.

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There was an ever so slight flare in the sun; appearing to be no larger than a spark to a human eye from Earth. It went unnoticed; however, a dark force broke loose. She had been sealed away in the sun for eons, and now she would complete her evil expedition. Her name was Metalia. She was a spirit of pure evil; a demon from hell. And now she prowled around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour **[1]**; seeking a decoy to help her accomplish her wicked mission…

And there Beryl was, sitting alone in the dark, vulnerable as ever. And oh, how the envy burned within that woman. That would be used as a foothold by the enemy.

Sitting there at the edge of the pool, Beryl jumped up in terror as she saw a horrifying face appear in the body of water.

"Don't be afraid, darling. I am your friend. I'm here to help you."

"W-who are you?! Why do you seek me out?"

"My name is Metalia. And I have been watching you, Beryl. I know you. You live alone here in Autumn Plains. Every day, you walk these fields, keeping a close eye on Prince Endymion. And I know that your heart longs for him, am I right?"

"…How do you know so much about me?"

"I am a powerful being. Though, I am not up to my fullest potential now. I need energy. If I can obtain enough of it, I can become more powerful than ever. In order to make that happen, however, I need to be in possession of the Legendary Silver Crystal. And I need your help, dear. If you pledge allegiance to me, you shall share in my ultimate power. And Endymion will be all yours."

"This is madness! I must be hallucinating… I have been sitting out here for far too long."

"I'm no hallucination, Beryl. I can change you; make you ROYALTY. I know that you also lack confidence. You were always too shy to talk to the Prince, and because of that you missed your chance. I can give you confidence, along with ALL of the power that you want. Just think of _all that power_, in YOUR hands. Think of Endymion, forever by your side. That is what you want, is it not?"

"Yes it is, but-"

"SO, you will help me?"

Thinking for a moment, she let out a sigh. "Where is this 'Legendary Silver Crystal'? And how am I supposed to get it?"

"Oh darling, it is not YOU who I have in mind to retrieve the crystal. I want to make you my ultimate commanding officer – the Queen of the Dark Kingdom. You will be running my show. What do you say?"

"You did not answer my first question. Where is the crystal?"

"You saw Endymion with Princess Serenity, yes? How did that make you feel? That love in his eyes when he looks at her… her beauty… they are madly in love, Beryl. Doesn't that make you burn with jealous rage? What right does she have to steal your prince away? After all, she is from the MOON. When you think about their intimacy, about them getting married, about their long future together… HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?!"

Beryl let out a furious scream. "Curse that wretched girl!"

"Yes! Feel the anger! How does it make you feel about the moon? About the people of the moon? They are all the same, Beryl! They are selfish and do whatever it takes to get what they want – like stealing men away from pretty girls like you."

"They're trash! All of them! I could just…"

"You could just WHAT?"

"I could just kill them all! Rip them to shreds! Every last one of them!"

"Good news, Beryl. The Legendary Silver Crystal is on the moon. Do you know what that means?"

"That means…"

"Join me, Beryl. Pledge your allegiance to me, and I will make you more powerful than you can imagine. Be my commander!"

_Such a noble man… such a brave warrior… Endymion…_

"The prince will be mine?"

"He will be yours."

Beryl held out her hands. "I pledge my allegiance to you… master."

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**Shitennou**

Radiant shades of orange and gold flashed from within his hand. He was holding her special gift from the night at the ball: a rare and precious gem from planet Venus.

_"Kunzite, I have never parted with this gem since I came to the moon from my home in Venus many years ago. It has been my good luck charm ever since. I want you to have it. You are my good luck charm now."_

How he missed her. Autumn Plains, amidst all its beauty, seemed empty and dull in her absence. It would be over a week before she was free to return to him. Every minute dragged by at a snail's pace.

Even more so than the pain from missing his beloved maiden, Kunzite felt something else. Something felt… off. There seemed to be more negative energy in the air, in some inexplicable sense. But he shrugged it off and went to meet his fellow generals outside the palace.

"There you are, Kunzite," Jadeite said. "Have you noticed anything strange happening lately?"

"What do you mean? There hasn't been anything out of the ordinary around here."

"I mean, have you _felt_ anything? I've been getting negative vibes, as have the other two."

Zoisite and Nephrite nodded in agreement.

"Well, since you mention it, yes, as a matter of fact I have. Do you have any idea what it might be?"

"I don't. But I tell you, I have a bad feeling about this. We need to constantly be on alert. Something tells me that there will be consequences if we aren't."

"Very well, then. If you'll excuse me, I have a training session to attend to," Kunzite said as he walked back towards the palace. Jadeite was a very intelligent man, but he did have a tendency to overreact to things and make them a bigger deal than they needed to be. He figured this was just one of those things.

When he was out of sight and approaching the doors, he turned his head and saw a shady-looking woman in the distance. She had long, red hair, wore a tight blue gown, and looked at him with piercing red eyes. He turned away for a second and then looked back, and she was gone.

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The castle had a private training room, where Kunzite liked to work on strength building and practicing his sword techniques. He had been training there for hours, but couldn't get in the zone like usual because something was tormenting him. The negative vibes kept growing stronger. Perhaps Jadeite might've been onto something this time…

Just then, he turned around and jumped in shock at the creepy woman standing right there behind him. The same woman he saw earlier.

He held out his sword. "Where did you come from?! Who let you in?"

The woman stepped even closer. "Why, Kunzite, I thought you were supposed to be the calm and collected one of the group?" she said with a nonchalant voice and a sinister smile.

"Step no further!" he continued pointing his sword at her. "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

"What a feisty man you are. My name is Beryl, and I came to speak to you, Kunzite. I know your name because I know_ you_. I've been watching you. You're no mystery to me."

"You're mad, woman. I order you to leave the premises immediately, or I will take you out by force."

"Oh, you wouldn't force out a _queen_ now, would you?"

"Queen…?" he said in disgust.

"I am Queen Beryl, ruler of the Dark Kingdom. My master is Queen Metalia, who gave me this position. I was once like you, Kunzite. Just a regular human being. But my master Metalia gave me the powers that I now possess, and now I am strong enough to RULE THE WORLD."

She held her arms and staff in the air, and the world around them went dark for a moment, as a dark aura shot out from her. This was her proof that she was no ordinary person. Kunzite was momentarily stunned.

"I was one of the lucky ones who Metalia sought out. And here's the good news for you, Kunzite: SO ARE YOU. She wants to use you, and if you join us, you will obtain power like I did, and will share in the ultimate world domination as she has promised."

This was too much. Kunzite charged at her with his sword, but she vanished and he flew to the ground.

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It was getting dark. Kunzite was rapidly searching the palace for the others, but none were to be found. Not even Endymion. _Where is he, anyway?_

Eventually he gave up. He had searched for at least two hours, but it was hopeless. He wanted to tell them about that vile woman he encountered, but figured he could sleep on it and tell them the next day.

As he entered his bedroom, he was unpleasantly astonished to find her sitting there at the edge of the bed, staring at him.

"Did you miss me?"

Drawing out his weapon again, he ran at her and demanded she left at once. This time, however, instead of vanishing, she stood up and held out her staff, sending out some powerful force that thrust him back against the wall.

"That was just a mere example of the power _you_ could have, Kunzite," she said, walking over to him. "Listen to me now. Metalia has a mission for us. She needs to obtain the Legendary Silver Crystal, which will awaken her full powers and enable her to take over this world, and _you_ can be a part of that. Just imagine… the world in your hands… getting everything you ever wanted… does that not make you want to bow down?"

"It most certainly does NOT," he said, getting back up. "I have all that I want now. I serve a faithful prince, I love an extraordinary woman, and I live in the most extravagant palace on Earth. I don't want or need _anything_ from you. So if you'll kindly leave…" he angrily held the door open.

"You will not get rid of me, Kunzite. Queen Metalia will always get what she wants. And she wants _you_. And what is this garbage you're spitting at me about a 'faithful prince' and 'extraordinary woman'? Are you _honestly_ that blind? You are no more than a slave to a selfish, deceptive prince, and are no more than a decoy used by Venus to get what she wants. She's nothing but a harlot who knows how to play her cards…"

"Shut your filthy mouth, woman!" he got closer to her with his sword, despite knowing how futile his efforts to attack would be at this point. "Don't you EVER speak about Prince Endymion or Venus that way! You have not a CLUE what you're talking about!"

"Oh, don't I? Let's take a look, shall we? Princess Serenity starts coming to Earth, _uninvited_, and who does she _immediately_ begin pursing? Prince Endymion. Of ALL people, she goes after the Prince of the Earth. And what happens after that? Venus follows her here, and then she pursues _you_. The head general of the kingdom. And shortly later, the rest of those Guardian brats come along, and they chase after the other three. Coincidence? I think NOT!"

"Where are you going with this? So what if they came to Earth and we all fell in love? Your claims are irrelevant."

"Ugh, don't you see?! They are USING you all. Look at your beloved Venus. She is, I cannot deny, beautiful and surely she could get any man she wants. But she chose YOU. She wants to lure you in, marry into your royalty, and team up with her moon friends to take over Earth. From day one, all of them have envied this planet. It has countless features and benefits that the moon lacks. They want it for themselves; they want leadership over the moon AND Earth. They want world domination, but are being SELFISH about it. Now, Metalia on the other hand is generous in her mission. She is willing to allow us to partake in her victory, and is INVITING us to join her – NOT seducing us by prostituting herself and faking love, unlike that Venus…"

Kunzite was fuming with anger, more than ever before. Against his better judgment, he swung at her again, only to be thrown violently to the other side of the room.

Beryl simply continued as if nothing happened. "And where is your so-called 'faithful' prince in all this? Why has he allowed all of this to happen? After all, he is the only one who has been in direct contact with Queen Serenity all this time. You're probably blind to this as well, so I'll spell it out for you: he's with _them_. He has joined forces with his beloved Princess Serenity, and is planning to betray his own kind. How 'faithful!'"

Kunzite remained where he was, not bothering with any more attacks. "That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard."

"Is it? You know that the moon has constant surveillance over the Earth?"

"Yes. That was the agreement between our Prince and Queen Serenity. It's for our protection."

"You honestly believe that? Why would they be so invested in your safety? They have their own people to worry about. That was a dirty lie the Queen fed to your Prince that he was either foolish enough to believe, or that he pretended to believe because he was in on their plan from the start. They use that surveillance to _spy on you_."

He had to admit, that idea actually didn't sound so crazy. _Why DID they always watch over them? The Earth's never needed their protection, nor did they ever ask for it._

"Stop trying to deny it, Kunzite. They've deceived you. Venus too."

"Venus is _not_ like that." He felt the smooth, shiny gem in his pocket.

"She doesn't love you. She is merely a master of seduction. Why do you think she was alone for so long? Why did she refuse to sleep with you? Why is she mysteriously 'busy' for the next week and a half but gave you no reason why? That gem you're fiddling with… it's rare and valuable, is it not? Do you really believe that she gave that to you out of love? Or was it a way to buy you off?"

"I will tell you one more time. I wish to have no part of this. There will be no more discussion tonight. You may let yourself out."

"Fine. Sleep on it. Ask your Prince about all this tomorrow, and then we shall speak again."

With that, she vanished.

And with each passing minute thereafter, Beryl's words relentlessly replayed in his head, and began sounding less and less crazy. But he was far from sold.

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Kunzite didn't know this, but Beryl had also appeared to Zoisite, Nephrite and Jadeite and messed with their minds the same way. They were all in the exact same boat.

He went to meet Endymion at his throne, and found the other three already there. Kunzite joined them and took the lead in confronting the prince.

With a bow, he said, "Good afternoon, Your Majesty. I had become concerned about your absence yesterday. I hope all is well with you."

"I appreciate your concern. Everything is fine; I was just on the moon visiting the princess yesterday."

This, for some odd reason, raised immediate suspicion. "On the moon? What for?"

"Just to see her. Queen Serenity has invited me to visit at any time, regardless of circumstances."

"Is that all, my Prince? Were there no other affairs that took place?"

"It is none of your concern. If I needed you with me, I would have brought you along. I am asking you to respect my privacy." The prince was starting to get a bit annoyed.

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, I believe it _is_ of our concern. It is our job to protect you, and so for you to go disappearing and then not telling us precisely why-"

"Kunzite, why do you question me like this? Do you not trust me?"

In the spur of the moment, he let it out. "It is not _you_ who I do not trust, but those people of the moon are the ones who raise my suspicion."

"That is nonsense! Why do you say such things?"

"Because they are constantly spying on us! Why are they the only ones with that right?"

"You know that was the agreement between the Queen and me! Kunzite, where is all of this coming from?"

Growing angrier by the second, he replied, "No, Prince. No more questions. I want you to tell me honestly: are you with them? Or are you with us?"

"I think I know what this is. That woman who's been lurking here… that _creature_… she had spoken to you…"

"I believe we are finished here, Prince." The four men walked out.

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There in his bedroom that night, Kunzite found Beryl as expected, standing against the wall and grinning at him.

"Interesting conversation with the prince today, yes?"

He let out a frustrated sigh. "All right, Beryl. You have my attention."

"You now know that Endymion isn't the trustworthy man you thought he was. And now, I want to _prove_ to you that I am right about Venus."

What Kunzite didn't know was that, among Beryl's many powers, she had the ability to show motion pictures and use whatever words or sounds she wanted to incorporate into them, including the perfect imitation of voices. She lifted her staff and shone a light towards the wall, showing some sort of clip of Venus on the moon, talking to Princess Serenity.

"The plan is going smoothly. Kunzite is melting in my hands… falling hook line and sinker. What a gullible fool. I cannot believe how easy it was. Just give it some more time, and Earth will be ours."

Beryl had captured Venus' voice perfectly and used it in such a way that it truly looked like she was saying that in the clip. Kunzite just stood there, paralyzed. It felt as though his heart died right then and there.

_She… she doesn't…_

In an instant, he became absolutely furious. Beryl kept encouraging his anger. He pulled out her gem and violently threw it out the window.

"That lying wretch! I could just-"

"You could just WHAT?"

The demonic presence was heavy in that room, as Metalia's evil vibes came out and overwhelmed the place.

"…I could just kill her with my own hands!"

"I'm glad you're finally starting to understand, Kunzite. Join the Dark Kingdom, and you will be able to do just that, and with immense power that will be given to you. Our ruler Metalia will transform you and you will be the head general of the Dark Kingdom. What do you say?"

For the first time, he looked at her with seriousness and consideration. "What would I need to do?"

"Well, you will have to hold off on killing Venus for a bit – her death would be obvious and would spoil our plan. Our mission is to capture the Legendary Silver Crystal from the moon. It is the most powerful source of energy in the world. That is what will empower our master."

Jadeite, Zoisite and Nephrite walked into the room, pale-faced and cold-eyed. "Join us, Kunzite. Join the Dark Kingdom," they all said in a creepy unison. "Join us and we will seek our revenge."

He thought for a moment. This would be a completely life-changing decision and he was unsure of where it would lead to. But he saw no other choice. And looking at his three brothers who had already made their decision, he knelt down and kissed Beryl's hand.

She let out a loud, terrifying laugh and her hair blew up towards the sky as she raised her hands and said "Welcome to the Kingdom, Warrior!"

Just then, part of Metalia's spirit came out and spoke to him personally.

"Wise decision, Kunzite. I'm glad you saw it our way. Now, before I grant you your powers, you must steal the Legendary Silver Crystal for me. You are the strongest of the Heavenly Kings. Therefore I am choosing you for this mission. Go to the moon, and in the forest behind the palace, jump into the pond and swim through the tunnel that leads to the secret chamber. Then go and find the forbidden room. That is where the Legendary Silver Crystal is located. Snatch it and bring it back to me."

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_"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." _**[2]**

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><p>AN: **1.** 1 Peter 5:8. **2.** 2 Corinthians 11:3.

Sorry about the length of this chapter. Never planned for it to be anywhere near this long, but it just kinda happened. Anyways, this was only gonna be six chapters, but I'm extending it to seven because it would just be way too much to fit into one more. So two more are in the making.


	6. Strengthen Your Arms Now

**Earth's Uproar**

Rampage, rampage, rampage!

They flooded the streets. They burned buildings. They fought with each other. They shed blood. Soon enough, there were none left who trusted the prince.

After corrupting the Shitennou, Beryl had gone on to do the same thing to all of the people of Earth. She told them all beautiful lies – or so they seemed beautiful.

_Your prince is betraying you! You can't trust a thing he says! Join me, or else the people of the moon will take over and you'll all become their slaves! But fear not – for if you join me, we can conquer them! You will never be slaves to those moon demons!_

Within less than a month, they were all swayed. Endymion did all that he could to try and calm them down and remind them of the truth, but it was no use. They refused to listen.

"You traitor! How could you sell us over to them? We'll take you out!"

He had to remain locked inside the palace, but with his generals now turned against him as well, there was no safe place in all the Earth. In due time, he migrated to the moon and took refuge there.

All the while, Beryl took his place at the throne and gave her orders – the plan to attack the Moon Kingdom.

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_Meanwhile…_

"We need to prepare ourselves," Venus said to the other Senshi. "Anything could happen at this point. If it's the Legendary Silver Crystal she wants, she'll stop at nothing to get it."

"And now the whole Earth is on her side," said Jupiter.

"We have to be ready."

"Yes," a voice said, slowly getting closer. "We must be prepared for battle – ready to defend our kingdom at any given moment."

Queen Serenity was walking down the steps to meet them, followed by the Prince and Princess. The Senshi respectfully bowed before her.

"I suspect they will send spies, so be on constant lookout, all of you."

"Absolutely, Your Majesty," Venus said. "And I must inform you that I do believe they will attack the moon. Kunzite's attempt at stealing the Silver Crystal signaled that to me."

"Tell everyone in the kingdom and spread the word to all of the moon," she ordered. "We will build an army."

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"Listen up!" Beryl shouted from the throne. "The prince has gone to the moon and informed them of all that has happened here, so they are under suspicion. That is why we need to act NOW! We will all teleport to the moon and attack as one army – but first, I need to know what those moon brats are up to. I will send a handful of volunteers there to observe them and report back to me. Who shall it be?"

A multitude of hands went in the air and Beryl chose 20 of them.

"Excellent. Now, Zoisite," she turned to the young general. "How do we transport them?"

"The portal is located outside the palace on the west side. The prince and we four generals are the only people of Earth who are enabled to use it. However, if I go and take them with me, it should allow them to pass through."

"Fine, then. You will go with them and be their leader in this mission. Do not fail me."

"Yes, Queen Beryl." With a bow, he rounded up the volunteers and took them out to the portal.

"Now, as for you three," she pointed at the remaining Shitennou. "I want you to train the rest of these people – both ordinary citizens and already experienced soldiers – and prepare them for our attack on the moon. Raise our army up to its fullest potential, and we will save the Earth and our master will be most pleased!"

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"Here we are," Zoisite said, feeling dizzy from the teleportation. "All of you are to go and keep a close eye on the kingdom and all of the people here. Stay hidden at ALL times. Do NOT, under any circumstances, let anyone see you. Report back here at midnight."

All of the people went off and scattered around, finding their own clever hiding spots and staying near the palace walls.

What they observed was an army of people training and preparing for war. A very large army, with royals from the moon as well as from the Senshis' home planets. They were all being led by the Senshi as their commanding officers. And they certainly did not look like a weak bunch, to say the least.

One of the men spying on them was hiding behind a large tree that night, and in due time, he was approached from behind by Jupiter. She captured him and brought him to Queen Serenity.

"I found him sneaking around and spying on us just outside the castle," she said, as she threw him to the ground.

**[1] **He laid there trembling at the foot of the throne, finally having the courage to look the Queen in the eye. And in doing so, he was shocked to find the most brilliant light he'd ever seen. He realized there was no darkness or malice in her, and instead saw all of the darkness inside himself and the darkness he was working for. There was nothing to say in that moment… only things to realize. He had been an enemy of this powerful Queen, and if she had sentenced him to death, it would have been justice. As he waited for her to do just that, she stepped down and put her hand on his shoulder. She spoke with a pure love he had never known before, saying, "We only want voluntary allegiance in the moon's army. If you stay here, you will be changed and it will feel like the old you has died. Or… you may remain in the darkness as a slave. Either way, know that you are loved, son. You are free to choose."

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The group reported back to Zoisite at their designated meeting spot and teleported back to Earth. They met Queen Beryl at the throne, where she was speaking to the large multitude again.

**[2]** As usual, she was encouraging them in their mission with passion. However, this time, the man who had been captured on the moon and released noticed holes in her speech. She was angelic in her syntax, but demonic in her motive. In the middle of her speech, she nodded to someone standing in the back, who then quickly snuck out.

**[2]** Moments later, an explosion went off and many people were killed. Beryl yelled, "Help your brothers! The Moon Kingdom is full of murderers! Avenge your brothers!"

**[2]** As people ran out of the palace to assist the wounded, the man looked back at Beryl and saw her smile. As she scanned the room with pleasure, her eyes fell on him, and that smile vanished and her face turned into anger and hatred. As his heart raged against her, he stepped up to the throne and yelled loudly enough for the soldiers to hear what she had done. He told them about his meeting with Queen Serenity and the love she showed him, and hundreds began to weep. Beryl ordered him to be executed on the spot.

The guards took him away and Beryl reclaimed her spotlight. "Do you see? The Moon Kingdom brainwashed one of our own! We cannot have weak people such as him in our army! Now, get back to work or you'll all end up like him! We attack the moon in two days!"

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**[3]** _"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction."_

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><p>AN: **1. **In the Dark** 2.** Swept Away

^ For those parts, I was largely quoting/referencing Flyleaf's "Letters from the Commander" from their _Memento Mori_ album. They have little stories about each song, and the ones from those two songs highly inspired this chapter, and the whole story itself. So I cannot take credit for those parts.

I kind of wanted Queen Serenity to symbolize Jesus Christ, at least in this chapter. Please let me know how I did and how I can improve.

**3. **2 Peter 2:1.


	7. Say Goodnight, My Love

A/N: Wow. Yeah, so this story was originally supposed to just be like two or three, short and simple chapters lol. It's definitely gone a totally different direction as I've been going. I am committed to making this the final chapter, so I apologize in advance for the length it'll probably be…

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><p>The dazzling starlight held the Moon Kingdom in bright hues that night. It was midnight and all was quiet. The ponds were lightly stirring and the flowers of the gardens lit up in the moonlight. This would be the last time the Silver Millennium would see such a beautiful, peaceful night.<p>

Venus couldn't sleep for anything. Sitting out on the railing of the balcony like she always did, reading a book Mercury had recently given her. She paused and held her necklace in her hands, tracing the engraved words with her finger as she so often did.

_Goddess of Love_

She was filled with sorrow every time she even looked at it. But she knew that she needed to face reality: Kunzite was no longer the man she fell in love with. And serving her Queen and kingdom came first, always.

_"Above all, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."_

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He was back at his home palace in Winter Tundra, retrieving his most powerful sword to use in the upcoming battle.

Standing at the top of the stairs in front of the main chamber and looking out to the distance only filled him with pain. That was once his favorite memory with her. Now he tried his hardest to erase it from his mind.

He turned off all the lights that were always shining up at the top and took down the flags from the palace walls. Then he teleported back to Autumn Plains.

"Kunzite." Jadeite stood at his doorway. "I found this outside. Does it belong to you?"

He held out the precious gem Venus had given him. Anger instantly welled up.

"Get that out of my sight. NOW. It's trash."

"As you wish, sir."

He turned back before leaving. "Don't worry, sir. For tomorrow we will have our revenge."

Kunzite moved over to the window and gazed out at the moon. That's where she was. The one who deceived him. _With those gorgeous, shimmering blue eyes, that smile that was a mile wide and always readily available, that cheerful, adorable laugh that he could never resist smiling at… oh, and that long, golden hair… the most beautiful girl in the entire world._

He caught himself and shook off those thoughts, angrily pounding the wall.

_Why didn't she love me?_

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"Master," Beryl said as she bowed before Metalia's face in the water. "Tomorrow night we shall attack the moon and retrieve the Legendary Silver Crystal."

"Excellent. You had better not fail me."

"The Moon Kingdom is powerful. Will you help us fight?"

"Don't be a fool, Beryl. You know very well that in my current state I cannot directly carry out this mission. All I can do is empower you to do it, which I already have done. I NEED MORE ENERGY."

"Yes, master. Tomorrow night, you shall have it."

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Night fell. Queen Serenity knew what was coming.

"Gather all of the troops and order them to guard the castle on every side and be ready to defend against the attackers," she told the Senshi.

Princess Serenity and Endymion were still inside.

"Serenity, stay inside. I can't risk you getting hurt out there."

"What about you? I can't stay here alone knowing you could be hurt or even killed!"

"Princess, please, do this for me. I have done this kind of thing before. I'll be fine."

"But Endy-"

He moved in and kissed her. "I'll be fine. Promise."

"All… all right." She began tearing up.

The prince left his maiden and joined the army on the battlefield.

Earth began to give the faintest glow. Suddenly the moon began to shake, and the soldiers all got their weapons ready. It was time for battle.

Within a blink of an eye, a countless multitude of people emerged. They shook off the dizziness and charged at the moon army. They fought and fought and fought, blood being shed every second. The Moon Kingdom had a highly trained army, but Earth's army was so… _monstrous_. The moon was greatly outnumbered. Still, they fought with all of the strength they could muster and let no one pass into the palace.

Out from within the large crowd came the Shitennou. Mars was the first to see them and charged full-force at Jadeite. He thrust her back and gave a sinister smile.

"What are you, some kind of psycho?!" she screamed. She threw some fireballs at him and they commenced their duel.

Jupiter, angrier than she'd ever been before, was having a hand-to-hand combat war with Nephrite.

"Is that all you've got, traitor?!" she yelled. He smiled the same, evil way Jadeite did with a piercing glare, and kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying back. She tried attacking him with lightning, but he evaded it all and continued thrashing her like a punching bag.

Mercury hardly had the heart to even begin fighting Zoisite, but was given no choice since he was relentlessly taking jabs at her with his dagger, laughing like it was some game. She fogged up the air, but that only made it harder for her to see him coming straight at her from out of the mist and tackling her to the ground.

"Venus crescent beam!"

She knocked out multiple soldiers with a single attack, and quickly tried to get away from the madness. There was one opponent she needed to face.

"Kunzite!"

The silver-haired man turned around, stone-faced. It only took seconds for that to turn into a look of pure rage. There she stood, in all of her _lying_ beauty.

"I don't want to have to fight you. But, there's no way I am letting you past the palace doors."

His grip tightened on his sword and fire burned in his eyes. Before she could even think twice, he came at her with the blade, just barely missing her by no more than an inch.

And so it was on. They fought to the death just as the others were. "Kunzite, talk to me," Venus said as she was skillfully dodging his weapon. "Please, just tell me why. Why are you doing this? What happened?"

He said nothing and kept attacking. He tripped her with his foot, but she kept being evasive while on the ground, moving backwards. "Don't you remember your mission? To protect Prince Endymion? What happened to that? What happened to… us? You just changed out of nowhere-"

He thrust his sword into the ground, inches away from her face. "Don't pretend to be foolish with me! You know very well the answers to your questions!"

She got back up to her feet as he pulled his weapon out of the ground. "No, I'm afraid I don't." She used a crescent beam and knocked the sword out of his hand. By this point their hands were locked as they tried to push each other the opposite direction with all of their strength. "I'll never believe any of your dirty lies again," he said through the heavy breathing. "You never cared about me. I heard you say it!"

"What are you talking about? Is this what the enemy told you? Kunzite, you were _everything_ to me. I loved you."

"LIAR!" he screamed as he slapped her face, knocking her to the ground once again.

"If I'm lying," she said as she gathered herself and stood back up, "then why would I still be keeping this with me everywhere I go?" She pulled out the necklace he had given her. "And what's more, why would I have given you my Venusian gem – the most sentimental possession I had?"

He stared at the necklace for a moment. Glaring at her, he replied, "Just another one of your deceiving tricks." He threw a punch, but she dodged and ran towards the palace, with him closely following.

She stopped when she saw the princess running out of the front doors.

"Princess!" Endymion yelled. "What are you doing? It's too dangerous out here!"

"I couldn't wait any longer. I want to help you."

"Serenity, please… don't do this. I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt out here."

"Nor would I myself if_ you_ got hurt."

Beryl watched them, glaring at the princess; the very one who stole Endymion away. The bitterness welled up even more and without hesitation, she thrust her sword at her.

"Look out!" the prince cried. He jumped in front of her and took the kill.

"Endymion! NO!" Serenity screamed as she fell to the ground and held his body.

Venus and Kunzite both watched and saw the prince's life taken. It was as if the whole world around them stopped and went silent, as Endymion slowly fell to the ground. Weeping and holding his lifeless body, Serenity picked up his large saber and drove it into herself.

"Princess!" Venus shrieked, as her best friend took her final breath and her body fell on top of Endymion's.

"Prince…" Kunzite whispered under his breath. "She really did love you after all. And I failed in my mission to protect you. I became your enemy…"

Beryl realized what she had done, never intending to kill the one she loved. But there was no time to delay. She needed that crystal. Looking over at her head general, she snapped him back.

"Kunzite! What are you doing? Get rid of Venus and get me that crystal! Remember how she lied to you!"

He quickly grabbed his sword and turned to face his opponent again. However she now also had a sword in her hand: The Holy Sword. And she was already in the air, driving the sword into Beryl while she was distracted yelling at her general.

Beryl shrieked in pain and collapsed to the ground, screaming "I shall be avenged!"

Venus landed and faced Kunzite again, as he stared her down. Despite the evil witch now being gone, he was still set on going through with the plan. The evil energy still resided within him. _She used me._ He started to rush towards her, but she simply stood there still.

"Kunzite."

Still charging, he began to raise his weapon, ready to end it.

"'Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.' **[1]** 'You will know the **truth**, and the truth **will set you free**.'" **[2]**

The instant she spoke those words, his eyes widened and he gasped for air. A heap of events flashed before his eyes.

_"I love you, Kunzite. You're the only man I've ever known who was worth becoming vulnerable for." _

_"'Love is patient...'"_

_"Well, regular human being, you're a phenomenon to me."_

_There she was on the screen again. And there he was, watching that clip as Beryl reflected in onto the wall. And as Venus spoke those lines that made him despise her, he saw Beryl's lips moving in the same fashion, as she used her powers to transfer it to the screen…_

Venus was not the deceiver in this. Never was. And she really did love him.

When this flash of truth had faded from before his eyes and he returned to the situation, it was too late. His sword had already driven into his beloved, as had hers into him.

They both collapsed to the ground, side by side, trembling in pain. When Venus looked into his eyes and saw that the evil and malice were gone, she put her arm over him and rested her head on his chest, and began to silently weep.

"I'm sorry, Kunzite."

With whatever strength he had left, he managed, "It is I who should be sorry, my love. The only one who was a fool was me. I am not worthy of your forgiveness."

She smiled and looked into his once again loving eyes. "It's all right, General. You are forgiven. I knew it wasn't you, for evil had a stronghold on you. I'm OK. I have guarded my heart all this time, and I don't feel sad for myself. I only feel sad for you… it's not fair that you have to go this way."

He gently held her face with his warm hand. "Don't be sad, love. Spending my final moments with you is the only way I'd ever desire to go." He smiled at her so kindly. "Goddess of love… you are so beautiful. I love you."

Tears continued falling down her face. She kissed him one last time. "Goodnight, my love."

And with that being said, they both closed their eyes and took their final breaths.

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The Senshi and Shitennou all lay lifeless on the battlefield, each of their lives taken by their loved ones. Only a handful of soldiers remained on each side, as they continued to fight. Metalia's spirit emerged in the form of a cloud and let out an evil laugh.

"Ahahahaha! Now that the Princess and the Senshi are out of my way, it's time to swipe that crystal!"

Her spirit possessed one of the men fighting for her army and he ran into the castle, but didn't realize that Queen Serenity was standing at the very top, overlooking the battlefield, with the Legendary Silver Crystal attached to the crescent wand in her hand.

She wept for her daughter and all of her beloved Senshi who were also like children to her. Her cats Luna and Artemis stood up there with her, also crying.

"There's nothing left to do. They need to live…" she said as she began to raise the wand.

"Your Majesty!" Luna cried out. "You don't have to do this. If you do it, surely you'll die!"

"I know. But I love them all too much to let them perish like this. I will lay down my life, so that they may live."

"Your Majesty…" the cats continued weeping.

"Luna and Artemis, I am sending you both out with them, into the future where they will be reborn on Earth. You two will be the only ones who will have any memory of this place… now promise me you'll watch over them and guide them – guide them to always choose love over evil. Don't let them fall into the hands of the enemy. Promise me."

"We promise," they said in unison.

The Queen looked at the crystal for a moment and closed her eyes. "Precious ones, take care of yourselves. Hold fast to the Truth. And always remember… _Memento Vivere. Remember to Live."_

She unleashed the crystal's power and it was finished.

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><p>AN: **1.** Romans 12:9-10. **2.** John 8:32.

So, there you have it. CONSTRUCTIVE feedback please. This was my first Sailor Moon fanfic and I really don't feel too pleased with how it came out. I usually write Pokemon/Contestshipping stories (and am now realizing that's my comfort zone, as I struggled greatly with this one), and originally this story was just going to be a break from that to try something different. However, in the process I **completely fell in love** with the Venus x Kunzite pairing. It also helped that the Crystal series has very recently made it completely canon :P lol. So I may or may not write more stories about them in the future. But in the meantime, I really would love feedback so that I can improve. I feel that I struggled the most with the Biblical symbolism, since this was my first time writing symbolically like that and because Sailor Moon is very Greek mythology based.

And I probably screwed up a lot of other things too. So again, help is welcome. (:

If you want to read a REALLY good story on the Silver Millennium, check out "Ode to Memory" by yeah-well-hey. It is the most phenomenal Sailor Moon fic I've ever read. (It also highly inspired me to write this story, so I must give credit there.)

That is all.


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